


And With A Breath, I Was Forgotten

by Help__Obsessed_Artist



Category: Green Lantern (Comics), Justice League - All Media Types, The Flash (Comics)
Genre: Amnesia, Comedy, Established Relationship, Fluff, Halbarry - Freeform, Heavy Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-18
Updated: 2019-06-25
Packaged: 2020-05-14 02:14:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,308
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19263919
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Help__Obsessed_Artist/pseuds/Help__Obsessed_Artist
Summary: “Can you tell me your name?”“You said it was Hal.” He spat back defensively. The panic tightening in his chest felt really unfamiliar, and he was really starting to freak out now.“What is your last name.” The man asked, voice rising slightly in stern demand.Hal blinked.He failed to notice in the confusion of the moment, that he had no clue not only where he was, but who he was .“I… Don’t know.”





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Idk how long this is gonna be... I also have no idea where its going lol

There was a pull on his consciousness and the man groaned, feeling the soreness of his body ease him into reality. He felt awful; like he had been hit by a train. His head pounded unrelentingly, the pain seldom ebbing when he managed to drag his eyelids open.

He was in a white room, a curtain pulled halfway on one side, giving him a little privacy in the large area. It was chilly and the man glanced to the side, eyeing the machine next to him that emitted subtle beeps.

 _A hospital…_ He thought numbly, blinking hard through his blurring vision. The pounding in his skull was making it hard to concentrate, to even _remember_ what happened, but he managed to sit up, hissing at the itching pain that flowered from seemingly every nerve in his body. 

There were white bandages wound securely over his chest and forearms. He blinked, looking down. There was a green metal ring on his right hand and he thumbed it curiously. He felt it vibrate and emit a low hum, but his attention to it was cut off when the doors to the room swung open.

The man blinked rapidly in surprise, squinting as if he wasn’t sure what he was seeing. A tall man, standing at over six feet, walked calmly to his bed. He was wearing armored black kevlar with a thick black cape and a cowl that covered the upper part of his head, two pointed horns looking like bat ears on the sides of his mask. The bat symbol on his chest threw the man’s assumption that he was in a hospital out the window.

The costumed man noted his expression, a slight narrow to his white lenses. The scrutiny lasted for far too long and he coughed, moving uncomfortably under the gaze.

The dark man spoke in a deep, one would argue needlessly intimidating, voice.

“Hal. What do you remember?”

The man swallowed, his throat feeling dry. He was beginning to get over the shock of seeing a grown man dressed as a _bat_ and he immediately turned defensive.

"Hal.” He repeated.

“What are you supposed to be?” He answered back, eyes combing over the man again and feeling his muscles tense.

The other man blinked, a low _‘hm’_ vibrating from his chest. He stepped closer, much too close for comfort, and shined a flashlight in his eyes.

Hal batted him away, “Alright Spooky, what’s going on!? Where am I?!”

The man blinked again, his eyes narrowing further.

“Can you tell me your name?”

“You said it was Hal.” He spat back defensively. The panic tightening in his chest felt really unfamiliar, and he was really starting to freak out now.

“What is your _last_ name.” The man asked, voice rising slightly in stern demand.

Hal blinked.

He failed to notice in the confusion of the moment, that he had no clue not only where he was, but _who he was_.

“I… Don’t know.”

The bat… man stared at him for another five seconds before placing a finger to his ear.

“J’onn, this is Batman. We have a situation with Hal in the medbay.” Batman was silent for a moment, before he continued. “Come in your disguise.”

“Batman?” Hal scoffed, looking him up and down. “Disguise? What the hell is going on?!”

‘Batman’ turned to him with a scowl. “You sustained a head injury.”

“From what?”

The man was silent. He looked Hal up and down for what seemed like the fifteenth time and Hal felt annoyance bubble in his stomach.

“Look, just te-”

“J’onn will assess the extent of your head injury now that you’re awake. _Do_ **_not_ ** _move_.” The finality of that statement rooted Hal in place and Batman disappeared out the door. If he was risking seeing more crazy people by wandering around, Hal assumed it was probably best to stay put.

It was all of two minutes of trying to remember something, _anything_ , before the doors swung open again. Another man walked in, dressed in a clean suit. He was dark-skinned, tall, and had a very calming presence.

“Hello Hal.” He said. “My name is J’onn. It has come to my attention that you are experiencing amnesia.”

“Uh… yeah… I guess.” Hal muttered, still on high alert. He _looked_ normal, but there was something about the way J’onn held himself that seemed… off.

“I am going to try to help you.” J’onn continued, coming around the right side of his bed and taking a moment to check the IV in Hal’s arm. “Please give me a moment to check your physical condition before we begin.”

Several minutes of tense silence passed before Hal spoke.

“Do I… know you?”

J’onn glanced at him. “Yes. We are friends.”

Hal chewed his lip in thought. “What about Spooky? Am I friends with him?”

“Yes.”

“So… what’s with the bat costume?”

J’onn turned to him, having finished checking his vitals. “I suggest we assess your current mental state before I answer any further questions you may have regarding where you are.”

Hal hesitated. “... How do I know I can trust you?”

J’onn’s lips tilted upwards ever so slightly. “Do you have any reason not to?”

“Hal! Thank _god_ you’re awake!” A man dressed in a bright red spandex suit banged through the doors, moving to take off his hooded mask. He froze suddenly, all the color draining from the skin Hal could see. He was staring right at J’onn with a look of shock and horror and Hal glanced over to see J’onn locking eyes with him, a very serious expression across his otherwise emotionless face.

“Oh…” The red suited man’s words came out strained, almost choked and he moved his hand away from his cowl. “A-Amnesia… That’s right. I knew that…” He looked down at his feet, his every muscle tense under Hal’s confused stare.

“Hal, this is Flash.” J’onn said calmly. Flash looked up, blue eyes meeting brown for a moment before he turned his gaze back to the floor.

“Flash?” Hal asked, an eyebrow quirking up. “Well at least you’re-”

“Not wearing a trenchcoat, yeah.” Flash finished with a sigh, still not meeting his gaze. Hal blinked. That had been _exactly_ what he was about to say. _How did he_ …

“Sorry to interrupt.” Flash backed slowly towards the door, voice now inexplicably hoarse. “I’ll be in… I’ll go.” And then, he was gone.

Hal looked at J’onn for explanation, but the other man was just gazing solemnly at the door.

    Hal decided not to push it.

* * *

 “It seems Hal is suffering from retrograde amnesia.” J’onn told Batman quietly, who had returned to the room shortly after Flash left and was now talking to J’onn near the door. Hal wanted to ask about the red clad man, but J’onn had been very keen on dodging all of Hal’s questions.

 _He should introduce himself to you_. He had said cryptically.

Batman was stroking his chin, deep in thought.

“Will he recover?” Batman asked.

“It’s unclear. It might help to reintroduce him to his life. I could also help with weekly brain therapy.”

Batman was quiet for another moment, eyeing Hal who was picking at a loose string on the sheets, pretending he wasn’t listening.

“ _He’s_ going to have to do it then.” Batman replied. He heard J’onn sigh.

“It will be hard for him; I’m sure you realize that.”

“It’s necessary.”

* * *

Barry stood in the conference room, arms tight around his abdomen as he stared numbly at the Earth below the Watchtower. Tears were pricking at his eyes, threatening to fall but he just sniffed.

Hal had looked at him, practically straight _through_ him, without having any idea who he was. There wasn’t any of the usual warmth when he used to look at Barry. Instead, his amber eyes were confused and guarded. Barry let out a broken sigh and rubbed his eyes, and willing his body not to shake.

He heard the automatic door open with a whoosh and a pair of heavy metal boots made their way over to him.

“He doesn’t remember anything?” Diana asked and Barry just nodded, refusing to meet her eyes in the reflection of the window. She moved a hand to rest on his shoulder, squeezing. “I’m sorry Barry…”

“It’s fine…” Barry replied thickly and Diana moved to stand in front of him, hands on his shoulders.

“You don’t have to lie. You don’t have to force yourself to believe everything is fine.”

“It doesn’t matter.” Barry wiped his face. “Hal doesn’t know anything about _himself_ let alone… what we... _were…_ I have to be there for him. As his best _friend_ , not his…” Barry let out a laugh that sounded more like a sob. “I don’t even know… I've known him forever… And then we were… God… Three years and now its all gone.”

Diana finally managed to duck enough to reach his gaze, pulling the man forward and hugging him tightly.

“We are all here for you. You don’t have to do this alone.”

“... Thanks Diana.”

Their hug was interrupted by all the other Leaguers entering the conference room and taking their respective seats, having been called by Batman. Barry eyed the empty chair to his left, tightening his cowl and staring at the desktop as the briefing began.

* * *

Hal was beginning to get annoyed. J’onn had left him about 45 minutes ago, having claimed to need to attend a ‘sudden emergency meeting’. Despite his previous promise to explain where Hal was, and why two people were inexplicably dressed in costumes, J’onn had left without telling him anything.

 _Fine. I’ll figure out what the hell is going on by myself_. Hal thought. He swung his legs over the right side of the bed, pushing through the wave of imbalance and nausea that rushed through his body. He ripped the IV from his arm, biting down a curse before standing on unsteady legs. His lower half was covered in black sweatpants, but he could feel that his legs were also wrapped in bandages.

 _Damn, maybe a train really_ **_did_ ** _hit me_.

He made his way across the room at a slow pace, afraid to agitate the throbbing injuries on his legs too much. Hal snagged a sweatshirt that read “S.T.A.R. Labs”, pulling it over his head and pushing through the doors. The hallway before him was huge, splitting off into different directions. The floor was waxed and clean, but it was very empty. Hal sighed and began walking down the hall to his right. There were no signs on the walls, no indications whatsoever that Hal was headed in the right direction-

The right direction? Hal didn’t even know where he was, let alone how to get out!

He continued down the halls, twisting and turning, passing several empty rooms such as a gym, a control room, and ( most worryingly ) a weapons hall. He felt like instinct was leading his wandering, and it wasn’t until he was greeted with muffled voices that Hal realized he might be getting somewhere.

Following the voices led to a large door at the end of the widest hall, the thing looking more like an industrial garage door. Hal pressed his ear against the metal, frowning when the voices were still not distinguishable. He noticed a small pad, about the size of a tablet on the wall next to the door. He frowned placing his hand on the pad and jumped at the sound of a loud robotic voice.

[Recognized: Green Lantern]

The door opened with a whoosh of air and Hal jumped back, blinking rapidly. The room went silent, every single head whipping around to stare at him. Hal blinked, staring back.

There was a large round table surrounded by six people, Batman standing among them like he was leading the conversation and Hal's eyes flicked to the large window behind them.

They were in space.

“Is that… Real?” Hal asked, gesturing vaguely to the window. Batman pinched his nose and spoke to Flash in a growl.

“Get him _out_ of here.”

“Now hold on.” A tall, dark-haired man dressed in a red cape ( and built like a damn _tank_ ) stood, glancing between Hal and the rest of the group. “We've been arguing about this for almost an hour now. Hal may have lost his memory, but he's still _Hal_.”

The brunet rubbed his temple, feeling lightheaded and very confused. He opened his eyes again to see Flash standing no less than two feet from him, hands out to catch him if he swayed.

“How did you…?” Hal trailed off, not having seen the other man move.

“I understand that Superman, but I do agree with Batman.” Another man spoke, resuming the conversation as if Hal hadn't interrupted. “We should give him time to adjust, to heal _physically_ , before telling him… everything.”

There was a still silence as all the other people considered this argument and Hal looked around. To Batman's right, sat the only woman in the room, clad in red and gold armor with beautiful black hair billowing around a gold headpiece. There were two empty chairs next to her before Hal's eyes turned to the last man who spoke, blond wavy hair framing his face and his chest covered in golden scaled armor. Seated beside him was a green skinned alien with red eyes, glancing over him calmly. And finally, the large dark haired man, who was gazing at him very gently despite how intimidating his stature was.

Okay, maybe seeing a guy dressed as a bat wasn't the strangest thing.

“I'll take him home.” Flash nodded at Batman, glancing at the rest of the group. “I think he's had enough excitement for one day.”

Batman gave Flash a hard look and Hal noticed him give a helpless one in return before Batman broke the stare.

“We will continue to discuss this and let you know the verdict. For now, take Hal back to _his_ apartment.”

Flash nodded, grabbing Hal by the elbow and leading him out of the room.

The door closed with a humming whoosh and Flash led Hal back down the hall silently, eyes staring blankly ahead. The man's chest itched to say something, but he had no fucking idea what to say.

Flash didn't make any effort to speak to _him_ , so Hal let the silence overwhelm them.

The two returned to the medical hall and Flash motioned for Hal to sit. He then shuffled through some contents in a nearby drawer.

“Here,” Flash handed him some folded clothes, "These are yours."

Hal held up a worn flight jacket. It was old, but sturdy and smelled like oil.

"Jordan?" Hal asked, reading the nametag and glancing up at Flash. The man still refused to look him in the eyes but he nodded.

"Jordan is your last name. The coat was your father's."

"My father was a pilot?" Hal whistled and he heard Flash chuckle.

"You are too, actually. A test pilot."

"Really? Am I any good?"

Blue eyes flicked up to pin him in place for a moment. There was something oddly _intense_ about Flash's stare before he answered.

"The best."

Flash looked down again.

Hal cleared his throat, looking down at his attire. "Wait, if these are my clothes, then who's sweater am I wearing?"

Flash straightened slightly. "Mine."

Hal blinked. "Oh, sorry." He moved to pull it off and Flash held up a hand.

"It's fine. Let's… Let's just get you home so you can rest."

Hal frowned, still confused why the man didn't keep eye contact, but he stood, following Flash out the door.

They made their way down the halls and Hal decided it was the best time to weasel some answers out of the guy.

"So… What is this place?"

"The Justice League Watchtower. It's an orbital base of operations for the League." Flash answered mechanically.

"Riiight… And the Justice League is…?"

"We're a team of superheroes."

Hal stopped walking and Flash paused with a frown.

"... Did you just say superheroes? As in, have superpowers??"

Flash nodded.

Hal held up his hands, shaking his head. "Right okay… So your whole costume shtick isn't just a cosplay thing? Like… you actually _have_ powers?"

"Yes Hal. We all have powers."

"So… What the hell am I doing here then?"

Flash gulped audibly and Hal saw him reach up to fiddle with a golden earpiece on his cowl.

"You needed… _special_ medical treatment that only we could… provide."

Hal frowned.

"Okay dude, I know we like, just met, but I already know you're a terrible liar."

Flash stiffened at his words and Hal noticed his face get pale again. Suddenly guilt clutched at his chest.

"That was… The wrong thing to say huh? I'm sorry I just… I don't know you."

Flash shook his head after a moment.

"It's fine. Let's go. No more questions."

* * *

Hal stepped out of the cramped phone booth, leaning on an alley wall to avoid vomiting. Flash stepped out after him.

"Sorry about that. The teleporter can be a little harsh on concussions."

"Yeah no kidding," Hal grunted, composing himself and looking around. "Is this where I live?"

Flash stiffened again, scuffing a foot.

"No… This is near where I live. You left some stuff at my apartment, so just stay put and I'll grab them." Hal frowned.

"Why's my stuff at _your_ place?"

"You uh… Crash there sometimes." Flash swallowed.

"Uh, why?"

"Because I'm your friend…" Flash whispered.

Hal felt that guilt again, but he nodded. Flash nodded back at him before turning.

Hal jumped when a loud crackle and a flash of lightning appeared and the Flash was _gone_.

"What the f-"

Before Hal could finish his statement, another spark of lightning cracked and he reappeared with a bag, causing Hal to start again.

Hal gaped and suddenly forgot how to breathe.

"I- you… How did-…" He tried and Flash blinked.

"Superspeed." Was his explanation and Hal nodded, mouth still hanging open. _Okay. That made sense. Just a guy with superspeed. Totally normal._

"Right…" He managed to choke out and Flash let the smallest smile ghost over his face.

"Now I just have to run you to the coast." Flash moved to, Hal assumed, pick him up but the pilot held up his hands.

"Whoa there cowboy; what do you mean 'run me to the coast'?"

Flash scratched his neck. "You live in Coast City. It'll take me about 10 seconds to get there. It's only across the country."

Hal sputtered, " _Across_ the- No way. I'm not-"

Hal felt his body move on its own for a moment and then he was surrounded by electric warmth. Colors and shapes in his vision stretched like a bad trip and he felt like the wind had been knocked out of him. It was terrifying, but also hauntingly _familiar_ …

Then it was over. He was standing in front of an apartment door, watching Flash fiddle with some keys.

"Sometimes you talk too much." Flash shot him a glance before slipping inside.

Hal followed slowly, trying to shake his legs free of the pins-and-needles sensation and wavering with a seasick stomach. ( He also felt a very strong urge to flick the speedster in the ear )

The apartment was dark, dusty and bare and he saw Flash fiddle with his earpiece again.

"H-Hold on. I'll just be a sec."

True to the statement, with a spark of lightning, one second later the apartment was clean and his bag was unpacked. Flash sighed, putting his hands on his hips and nodded with satisfaction.

"Uh, thanks…" Hal muttered, still looking around.

"... Right," Flash coughed. "I'll get out of your hair then." He started for the door when Hal caught his shoulder.

"Wait, am I supposed to just… Wait here? I'm kind of a blank slate… I don't even know-"

Flash shrugged out of his grip and opened the door.

"I'll uh… I'll bring someone over. A friend of yours. You can ask him whatever you want. I gotta go."

"Who-?" But the Flash sped off before Hal could question him, letting the door bang closed behind him. Hal huffed. Why was it so hard to get a straight answer out of that guy?

He started to wander, tossing his clothes on the couch and examining his apartment. Hal picked up a picture frame on a small shelf and saw two men smiling. One was blond, with bright blue eyes and an infectious smile. Beside him was a brown haired man, smiling just as wide. Hal glanced at himself in the reflection of the glass.

 _That_ was him. Hal Jordan.

He wondered what kind of person he was.

There was a quick knock at the door and Hal blinked, returning the frame and opening the door.

The man from the picture, the blond one, was standing outside, fidgeting slightly, and glancing up at Hal from under his blond lashes.

"Uh, hi Hal."

Hal frowned, eyebrows pulling together as he stared hard at the man. He blinked.

"... Flash?"

The man turned red instantly, immediately reaching up to tug on his earlobe. _Just like Flash did with his earpiece_.

" _No,_ my name is Barry. Barry Allen."

"You're the _Flash_. I was just talking to you."

"You're mistaken." Barry insisted, turning redder as Hal smirked.

"So I'm best friends with a superhero, huh?"

Barry sighed, defeated and he shook his head with a chuckle.

"You're impossible. I can't believe you figured it out _again_."

Hal frowned, "Again?"

He saw Barry's smile fall and he shook his head, walking past Hal into the apartment.

"You figured out my secret identity when we first met." Barry murmured, making his way to the fridge. Hal plopped down on a barstool at the kitchen island.

"How long ago was that?"

"About six years ago." Barry replied quietly, pulling out two beers and popping off the caps. He handed one to Hal.

Hal whistled. "Six years. I take it you know me pretty well then?"

Barry smiled, still not quite looking Hal in the eyes. "Better than I know myself."

Hal felt his stomach flop slightly and he frowned. Why was he blushing? He took a swig of the drink, trying to ignore the weird feeling as he began asking questions.

"So then, what am I like?"

Barry sighed, straightening. "Irresponsible, brash, rebellious, rude-"

Hal frowned.

Barry continued, "Witty, charming, protective, loyal," He met Hal's eyes for a moment, "caring."

Hal blinked.

"When you're not being an ass." Barry finished with a grin and Hal snorted.

"Alright. Well what about my family?"

Barry froze. He fiddled with the lip of his bottle for a moment before he spoke.

"Your dad died when you were a kid. You don't… really _speak_ to your mom or your brothers…"

"Why? What happened?"

Barry sighed, trying to form the words past failing lips.

"I'm not… its not really my place to say… You had a falling out and… They were…" Barry sighed, rubbing his eyes. "Wally and I are your family now…"

"Wally?" Hal asked and Barry blinked at him.

"Oh, Wally is my nephew."

"So… You're all I've got?"

"I wouldn't put it that way…" Barry trailed off.

"What about a girlfriend? Do I have one of those?"

Barry stood very still.

After several moments of tense silence, he finally spoke.

"No… You don't… You're not dating anyone…"

He fiddled with his ear.

Lie.

Hal frowned.

"Barry, you're seriously shi-"

A loud bang and a curse echoed across the apartment and Hal jumped, whirling around. Barry was standing in front of him not half a second later, small sparks flickering across his body and tempting Hal to touch them out of curiosity. He could _feel_ the kinetic energy vibrating through the air, coming off Barry in waves, even from three feet away.

Hal's attention snapped back to the other side of the apartment, when the bedroom door opened with another flood of curses.

Barry relaxed suddenly as a man stepped out, holding a bloody arm. He was tall and muscular, stomping across the hardwood floors in big combat boots. He wore a tight leather jacket with the collar popped up and his bright orange hair stuck to his forehead with sweat.

The man looked up, noticing them.

"Hal! I thought you'd be at Barry's."

Barry visibly tensed and Hal frowned.

"Why would I be there? Did you just _break in_? Who are you?"

The man paused, speaking in a thick Brooklyn accent. "Uh, what? You said I could crash here if I ever needed a quick fix up… What's going on?"

Barry held up his hands.

"Hal, this is Guy Gardner. He's a colleague of yours. Guy, Hal has amnesia."

"No shit! You serious?! So he doesn't remember tits?!"

"No. Language please, Guy? This is sensitive."

"What the hell happened to your arm; shouldn't you be at a hospital?" Hal interjected, staring at the mangled limb in shock. Guy blinked down at it, as if just remembering it was broken.

"Oh. Well this bastard alien managed to break it while I was on another planet. Came here to patch it up and recharge then head back to help Johnny boy and Kyle."

Barry groaned when Hal's mouth dropped.

" _You're_ a superhero too? Damn, how many heroes do I know?!"

Barry pinched the bridge of his nose and Guy's eyebrows shot up.

"Wait… He doesn't-"

"No!" Barry hissed.

"But he's-"

"I know!"

"We gotta-"

"Batman said not yet!"

Hal blinked at the hurried exchange between them, only growing more confused.

"Okay, what is it you guys don't wanna tell me?!"

The speedster turned on him, holding up a finger and looking _very_ annoyed. "That is _not_ for you to worry about right now, Harold. Now go to bed while I bandage Guy's arm."

Hal blinked, "But I'm not ti-"

"Just _go_ , Hal. Now. I need to speak with Guy privately."

Hal swallowed. This was the longest Barry had retained eye contact with him and it gave him chills. But… in a pleasant way? No, that couldn't be right. Maybe he should get some sleep.

Hal nodded, biting his lip and taking note that Guy looked just as tense about Barry's outburst. It probably didn't happen often.

He shuffled toward the door and closed it quietly.

Hal crossed his arms over his chest as soon as he was alone, his bottom lip sticking out in a pout. Who the hell were they to decide what he should and shouldn't know?

He frowned further. Screw that. He _deserved_ to know who he was. And who these people were to him. He pressed his ear hard against the door, trying to focus on the muffled voices.

"Do the Guardians know?" Barry asked and he heard Guy hiss in pain for a moment. "Sorry. Man this thing is really messed up."

"Yeah no kiddin'. They got no clue. I mean, John told 'em Hal was injured when it happened, but the rings don't tell 'em shit like this."

Barry was quiet for a while. "Do you think…" Hal strained to listen. "Do you think they'll let him stay? I mean, keep being… Y'know?"

"Who's to say? The whole chosen thing is super complicated and confusing… I mean I guess memories are important when it comes to willpower, but… Fuck if I know. What I _do_ know, is that I ain't lettin' the Guardians fire him. I know Kyle and John won't either. He's still _Hal;_ arguably the best of us. But I'll be damned before I tell 'im that."

Barry was quiet again.

"It's a good sign the ring hasn't left him yet though." Guy continued and Barry sighed.

"Yeah…"

Hal pushed away from the door, running a hand through his hair. He's had less answers than when he woke. Every bit of new information was only giving him more questions: and the eavesdropping created a thousand more.

Who the hell were the Guardians? Someone he worked for? What was all this about willpower and firing him because he can't remember who he was?

He was a test pilot. But he was certain whomever he worked for wouldn't be referred to as the 'Guardians'.

_Who the hell am I?_

Hal blinked.

He stared down at his hand, frowning at the green ring he had noticed that morning. He thumbed it again and it vibrated.

Was this the ring they were talking about? Why would it leave him; it was a _ring_. An inanimate object. It couldn't just get up and walk off his finger.

Then again, his best friend could run halfway across the country in seconds.

Hal was beginning to get a migraine with all the questions whirling around his head and he groaned.

Maybe he should just get some sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Bruce sat at the Justice League computer, immediately pulling up security footage from two months earlier. 

He heard shuffling behind him and a sigh that he tried to ignore. 

"Bruce… How many times are you going to go over this?" 

"As often as I have to, Clark." Bruce replied tightly. Clark sighed again, leaning on the back of the chair and watching the playback. 

"There's nothing there… You've been over it almost every day since it happened." 

"We didn't know he had amnesia before. If I see how it happened, then perhaps I can figure out how to fix it." 

The footage of the battle was obscured by smoke and debris, and Bruce switched between street cameras furiously, trying to get a clear angle. 

On cue, there was the sound of a breaking construct. The camera caught Green Lantern flying full force into a cement wall, breaking a hole in the building. Bruce flipped to a camera inside and the two watched as Hal crashed into a small forklift. He hit the ground with a groan of pain and Clark closed his eyes. 

Bruce watched with a tight jaw as the pile of metal scaffolding on the forklift wobbled before crashing onto Hal. One of them hit Hal hard in the temple and his head banged into the ground as he fell limp. 

Bruce's eyes narrowed further as they watched Barry run in, three seconds too late. 

"See…?" Clark muttered, unable to tear his eyes from the look of horror on the speedster's face, "Nothing..." 

"There has to be  _ something _ ," Bruce insisted, rewinding the footage again to playback before the battle. 

Clark moved to the side of the chair, catching his friend's gaze. Bruce glanced at him through narrowed lenses. 

"You can't fix everything, Bruce… J'onn said his memories might never return. As much as I hate to think about it, this might just be how it is now." 

"He's my friend, Clark." 

"And he's mine too. He's still  _ Hal _ ," Clark remedied. "He's the same person-" 

"It's not him I'm talking about. I have no doubt that Hal will still maintain his reputation of being one of the strongest Lanterns after he realizes his powers. With or without his memories, his  _ instincts _ make him a good pilot and a formidable opponent in battle. But this entire situation isn't fair to  _ Barry _ ." 

Clark was quiet. 

The silence was filled by the playback of the Watchtower loading dock, just before the battle. Barry and Hal stood waiting for the rest of the team to arrive.

_ "How long is it this time?" _ Barry asked, his head hanging slightly. Hal smiled at him, resting a hand on his shoulder. 

_ "Only a month. They need as much manpower as they can get. And after Oa, I'm coming straight back here."  _

Barry smiled sadly at this and scuffed his foot. 

_ "Hey," _ Hal moved his hands to Barry's cheeks, pulling his gaze up.  _ "You know I'll always come back to you, right?"  _

_ "Yeah. I know."  _

Bruce's cell phone buzzed next to the two of them, startling them out of their concentration. He clicked his earpiece, connecting the call to the Bluetooth inside his cowl. 

"Hello?" 

"Hey dad," 14-year-old Dick Grayson's voice came through, "Are you gonna be back soon? Alf made dinner." 

"Yes Dick. I'm just going over some documents. I'll be at the cave in an hour." 

"Are you going over the footage from Uncle Hal's accident again?" 

Bruce sighed, "Yes. I'm trying to help." 

"I hope you can soon… Wally says Uncle Barry's really upset…" 

"I know. I'm sure Wally's upset too." 

"Yeah," Dick agreed quietly, "He just called me crying again…" 

"Tell you what," Bruce said, "How about you invite Wally over for a sleepover this weekend?" 

"... Can we make a fort and have ice cream?" 

"Only if you clean up your mess. Remember what happened last time?" 

Dick gulped audibly, "No pillow fights, got it." 

"Or?" 

"Food fights… Or tickle fights…" 

"Thank you. We wouldn't want Alfred to ban your best friend from the manor now would we?" 

"Hey dad?" 

"Hm?" 

"I love you." 

"I love you too, Dick. I'll see you soon." 

Bruce ended the call with a sigh and he rubbed his eyes. Clark put a hand on his shoulder with a small smile. 

"You're a good dad, Bruce. And a good friend." 

Bruce blinked at him. 

"I'll consider that statement true when my son's best friend has his second dad back." 

* * *

Hal pulled on a coat, popping the collar and stepping out of his apartment. It wasn’t his father’s coat; that thing was still draped over the back of the couch. Instead, he opted for a black leather jacket to shield him from the breeze. 

Hal breathed slowly as he walked down the street, the cool air calming his nerves and muscles. He didn’t know why, but being inside, even for a day, made his skin itched to be warmed by the sun. 

_ Maybe I don’t like being cooped up. _ He thought. That seemed like a reasonable explanation. Regardless, he was bored and exploring the streets of Coast City seemed like something fun to do. Barry and Guy had left by the time he woke up that morning. The speedster had left a small note beside some pancakes, assuring Hal he’d call as soon as he got off work that evening. It was really nice that Barry had taken the time to make him breakfast, Hal had decided. 

But as for right now, Hal was alone and  _ bored _ . There was almost nothing to look through at in the apartment ( it was suspiciously bare; like no one had been living there in months ), so Hal took to the streets. 

Part of him worried he might get lost, but he was a grown ass man. He could handle himself. 

( It was comforting that he had a speedster on speed dial though )

Besides, what could happen? If the world was crawling with superheroes ( most of which he seemed to be friends with ), crime was probably at an all time low. 

Although, Hal didn’t have any frame of reference. 

He strolled downtown, throwing on his aviators to combat the afternoon sun as he watched the people passing by. Coast City definitely wasn't the prettiest; it looked like it had its fair share of beatings, with all the potholes and renovations on countless buildings. In fact, the further Hal wandered into the city, the worse things seemed to get, as far as building structure. 

He passed at least 3 construction sites in the span of 1000 feet, all working on different buildings. 

But a sandwich shop caught Hal's attention and the observation was immediately forgotten. 

Hal dug into his pocket, opening his wallet and flinching when a couple tiny photos fell out. He knelt to pick them up, frowning. 

One was a photo of Barry and a little red haired kid. They were both smiling, laughing together like they had just been told a bad joke. Hal found himself smiling back and he shook his head. 

Weird. 

The next photo was of four men, Hal in the middle. It looked like a shitty selfie, the four huddled at a bar or club with low lighting. He squinted. The orange haired man from yesterday, Guy, was there with his arm slung around a smaller, dark haired man. The last man was as tall as Hal, maybe taller, and seemed to be the one who took the photo. 

The last one was a picture of a blonde haired man and woman, smiling brightly and giving mirrored finger guns to the camera. 

Hal turned over the photos curiously. 

_ Barry and Wally - Wally's Birthday 1/16 _

_ Hal, Guy, Kyle, and John - New Years 2017 _

_ Oliver and Dinah Queen - First Anniversary  _

Hal thumbed through the photos again. So these were his friends? They all seemed like good people at a glance. 

But Hal frowned again. 

He still didn't remember. 

He tucked the photos back into an empty slot, flipping through the wallet. He had three credit cards, all of them expired. Hal groaned. 

But as luck would have it, Hal had some cash and wandered inside the sandwich shop, pocketing the wallet again. 

Hal walked lazily to the back of the line, scanning the options when the ground shook with a distant  _ crack _ . 

Several of the other patrons  _ immediately _ began to panic, and Hal watched in confusion as the cashier  _ dove _ behind the counter. Several customers bumped Hal as they ran out the door, more loud cracks and bangs and a strange  _ humming _ coming from outside the restaurant. 

Hal was running outside before he could think about how stupid that idea was. 

Hal squinted at the sky, his aviators slipping down his nose as he  _ gaped _ at what he was seeing. 

A… thing, a huge red man-like  _ monster _ was hovering in the sky, spitting red venom that dripped from its mouth like an overflowing facet. Three other figures, green and also  _ flying _ were surrounding it, hitting it with… 

What the  _ hell _ ?! 

Hal watched as one pulled back a fist, and a green  _ hand _ the size of a car fabricated out of thin air. The man swung forward, punching the air and the -the construct?- copied the motion, flying forward and smacking the monster into the ground not 30 feet away from him. 

Hal jumped. He had been told that superheroes existed; he had  _ seen _ a man move  _ faster _ than his eyes could follow. But by the  _ stars _ Hal found it difficult to pick his jaw up off the floor. 

There was a red  _ monster _ smashing buildings and three  _ superheroes _ fighting it. 

Hal's attention was torn from the monster when he noticed a woman and her child, hiding behind a car, less than 15 feet away from the  _ thing _ that was currently picking itself up from the crater of concrete. 

And then, Hal was running. 

He bolted forward, rushing as fast as he could to skid into a kneel at the woman's side, grabbing her around the waist and hoisting her up. Hal pushed her forward, gently but quickly when something made him freeze, watching as the woman ran off. 

"Hal Jordan..." A voice, a deep, booming, gurgling and spitting voice made his spine tingle. "There you are…" 

Hal turned slowly, his fingertips tingling as his heart rate doubled in speed. The monster was staring at him, a sick smile rushing with  _ blood _ . The monster's eyes were glistening, like a predator whose spotted worthy prey and was about to  _ pounce _ . 

Hal's right hand clenched tight. It felt  _ wrong _ . Hal knew in his gut, staring into the black eyes of a red demon, that  _ something _ was missing. He was utterly and completely helpless. 

And he was  _ terrified _ . 

The creature lunged, faster than he could blink before there was a blast of green light. 

One of the men, tall and dark skinned, hovered in front of Hal. He created a green net just in time, hoisting the monster up, and flinging it into the sky. 

Hal's eyes followed it to watch another- wait,  _ Guy _ ?!

"Batter up!!!" 

Guy was suddenly holding a huge bat made of green energy, swinging it forward and thwacking the monster to crash into a nearby building like an angry red baseball. 

All the construction sites suddenly made sense. 

"Hal! What are you doing here?! Where's your ring?!" The man who'd shielded him had turned to face him, tearing Hal's attention from the other two fighting the rage monster. 

"What?!" Hal blinked, staring at his right hand. He didn't see how it was important that he had a  _ ring _ on. He'd left the thing on his nightstand, why would it matter that he wore it constantly? "What the hell is  _ that _ ?!" 

"Atrocious!" The man replied. "You need your ring!" 

"Johnny! I told ya, he doesn't remember jack shit! His brain's gone to mush!" Guy hollered at them from the air and 'Johnny' cursed. 

"Why the hell does it know me?!" Hal sputtered. The man held up his hands. 

"No time to explain," He put a hand to his ear. "Bats! Connect me to Flash." There was a pause and Hal watched as Guy and the other man fought with green constructs against swimming red fountains of blood. 

Wait… 

Hal squinted. 

The two men, the ones he hadn't met, looked familiar… 

Hal thought of his wallet and blinked. 

John and Kyle. The names echoed in his brain. 

Hal's gaze flicked back to John's face. He wasn't wearing a mask. There was no mistake.  _ This _ was the man from the photo in his wallet. His friend. 

"Flash, we need you down in Coast. Atrocious is after Hal and he doesn't have his ring on him. We gotta run him out of here." 

Hal held up his hands. All this dancin around the point shit was starting to grate on his nerves. 

"Okay seriously,  _ why _ is that thing after  _ me _ and  _ why _ the hell does it matter if-" 

There was a distant whistle and Hal felt something touch the back of his neck, then his legs. 

Energy  _ surged _ through his body, like he had put his finger in a socket. Only it wasn't painful. It felt powerful, electric and  _ warm _ . 

His vision started to stretch again, and he felt the air get knocked from his chest. Before he could even  _ register _ the feeling, Hal was falling forward, getting a mouth full of fabric. 

"Watch him." He heard Barry say. 

Hal groaned, rolling over and yelping in disgruntled surprise as he fell to the floor from the couch he had been tossed onto. 

"What the hell Barry, you didn't have to run me all the way to Cen-" 

He was gone. 

Hal groaned again, pressing a hand to his face. The tingling feeling was back in his legs and for some reason, the feeling didn't bother him as much as it did the first time. 

" _ HAL!!! _ " 

Something barreled into him from where he sat on the floor, knocking the breath out of him at inhuman speeds. 

He looked down, seeing a tangle of red hair and it registered that there was a child currently wrapped around his chest like a boa constrictor. 

"Uh…" Hal managed. 

The boy pulled back, looking at him with wide wet eyes before jumping forward again and wrapping his arms around Hal's neck. The boy shook with sudden sobs and Hal heard him declare 'You're awake!' in watery happiness. 

_ Wally _ , his brain supplied. The kid from the photo. It made sense; he was Barry's nephew after all. 

"Uh, hi Wally." 

Wally sniffed, pulling away to sit on his heels and wipe hurriedly at his nose. 

"Uncle Barry was so scared you wouldn't wake up! He kept crying…" Wally hiccuped and Hal frowned. 

"Crying...?" Why would Barry be crying? Sure, they were friends, but surely whatever accident -maybe it was a car accident- happened, it couldn't have been  _ that _ saddening. 

Wally nodded. "All the time. And so was I, but now you're back!" 

"Uhm…" How was Hal supposed to respond? Did this kid know Hal had no  _ clue _ who he was to him? 

"Wally, honey…" A woman's voice made Hal look up. An elderly lady, pretty and with a kind smile, gestured for the boy to stand. "Give Hal some space please." 

"But I-" 

"Can you help me in the kitchen dear? Hal, make yourself at home. Jay will be home any second now." She interrupted, and Wally hung his head. He stood reluctantly and followed the woman to the kitchen as Hal picked himself up. Everything that had just happened in the last 2 minutes had brutally reminded Hal that he was still injured and he suppressed a hiss when he straightened. 

He had barely dusted himself off when he noticed the green ring was back on his finger and he frowned. 

Barry must've put it back on when he ran Hal out of Coast City. 

Hal sighed, running a hand through his hair and turning to sit on the couch. There was a whoosh as the air in the room picked up for a moment and suddenly there was another man standing next to him. 

Hal cursed, missing the couch completely and falling hard on his ass. 

" _ Christ _ , how many of you are there?!" 

The man, elderly and laughing, apologized and helped Hal stand. He shook his hand firmly and clapped Hal on the shoulder. 

"Sorry, kiddo. Superspeed can take some getting used to. The name's Jay Garrick. I assume you've already met my wife Joan?" 

Hal cleared his throat, sitting with Jay on the couch, "Yeah… She's with the kid,  _ Wally _ , in the kitchen. Is he…?" 

"A speedster?" Jay finished. "Yep. Got his powers about a year ago." 

Hal frowned. "What, is it genetic?" 

Jay barked a laugh, shaking his head. "No no… Not that simple. You see, most of us speedsters get our powers when we're struck by lightning." 

" _ Lightning _ ?" Barry had to be struck by lightning to get superspeed? Even more than that, so did  _ Wally _ ? He was just a kid! 

"Oh yeah. Not as simple as all that, but it's an easy way to explain it without getting into all the sciencey hokey pokey." 

"Right…" Hal said slowly. 

"Anyway Hal," Jay sighed, growing serious. "We haven't told Wally that you don't know who he is yet." 

Hal frowned. "Why not? He's going to be pretty confused the second he tries to talk to me for more than ten seconds." 

Jay sighed again, eyes trained on the hands clasped loosely on his lap. "You and Wally… Were very close Hal. He thought of you as a father, second to Barry, of course. We're just trying to figure out how to break it to him. We were going to tell him today, but circumstances required that you come here for your own safety." 

Hal nodded. That twinge of guilt was back with a vengeance when he remembered the look on Wally's face. 

"Just sit tight and I can run you back to Coast when I get the all clear. Lemonade?" Jay stood and Hal blinked. 

"Uh, yeah. Thanks…" 

Jay left the room and Hal turned his attention to looking around, trying to distract himself. He was  _ so _ confused… Couldn't they just tell him what they needed him to remember? 

Hal sighed, glancing over family photos on the walls. He blinked suddenly, squinting. He realized he was in almost  _ every photo _ , smiling wide and bright beside all the members of the household. 

The thought left him gnawed on the inside. 

_ We're your family now _ . 

Hal swallowed. 

He didn't  _ know _ his family. He didn't even know his original one. 

What had happened? What had he done to them that was so terrible they refused to speak to him? 

_ Caring, _ Barry's voice echoed in his head (he found it was happening often)  _ When you're not being an ass _ . 

Hal considered the idea. 

Should he try and speak to them? His old family? Tell them what happened? 

Surely they would welcome him back; he was blood. 

Wouldn't they…? 

He figured it was worth a shot.

* * *

Barry pressed his fists into his eyeballs, letting out another broken sigh. 

Hal was fine. He was with the Garriks at his house. 

Still, the  _ terror _ Barry felt the second John mentioned Atrocious, and Hal's lack of ring, Barry had run faster than he thought he could without breaking the time barrier. He felt bad not looking after Hal when he dropped him off, not checking him thoroughly for hidden wounds. 

But he couldn't. 

He couldn't bring himself to touch Hal more than necessary. 

He wanted to. More than he needed  _ air in his lungs _ he needed Hal. 

But Hal didn't know him. 

It wasn't the first time Hal had been broken… 

But this time, Barry didn't know how to fix him. 

_ And that fact was destroying him _ . 

Barry's phone buzzed in his pocket and he picked it up, not bothering to check the contact. 

"Hello?" 

"Hey Barry-- You okay?" 

Barry straightened at the sound of Hal's voice and he quickly wiped his eyes, pulling the phone away to sniff and clear his throat. 

"I'm fine Hal. What's up?" 

"Uh… Kind of have a favor to ask." 

"Hm?" 

"Can you… Take me to see my family?" 

Barry froze. 

His chest tightened and his stomach dropped to his feet. 

Of all the people Hal could remember, he wanted to remember  _ them _ … 

Barry squeezed his eyes shut against sudden nausea. 

"Barry?" Hal asked after a long moment of silence. "You there?" 

"Y-yeah Hal. I'm here." Barry pressed his forehead against the cold metal of the table, hoping that would magically make the  _ dread _ dissipate. "... Sure. I can do that." 

"Great. They know you right?" 

Barry winced, his chest clawing and the tears threatening to start up again. He swallowed hard, keeping his voice steady. 

"Yeah… They know me…" 

"Cool. Bar?"

"Yes Hal?" 

"Thanks… Y'know, for doing this. And everything." 

Barry nodded, squeezing his eyes shut harder. 

"What are friends for?" He responded. 

They said their goodbyes and Barry quickly shoved his phone in his pocket. 

He took the rest of the day off. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah... This entire thing is gonna be angsty as hell.   
> Prepare yourselves kids! I'm holding nothing back.


End file.
